The club today confirmed he had been given a three contract to lead the side.

Heart chairman Peter Sidwell said today: "We've obviously considered a lot of candidates, internally and externally, but John Aloisi was the right candidate."

Aloisi takes the reins from John van't Schip who left at the end of last season to join Mexican club Guadalajara.after coaching Heart in its first two years.

"JVS has set a platform at this club, which makes it easier for me to walk in as a coach," said Aloisi today. "I learnt a lot from him. I don't know if I'll be as calm as JVS, I have Italian blood!

"I didn't expect to be a head coach within a year. I'm confident that we're going to do well. We have one of the most exciting young squads in the league."

He added: "I want Ante (Milicic) to stay on. We're good friends off the pitch and he is an integral part of this club.

"We're looking at a few players. We need to make sure the foreigners we pick up are the right ones. We are hoping by the start of pre-season in June our squad will be full.

"At the moment, none of the players I coached last year will be promoted immediately. I believe our squad is good enough to compete with anyone in the competition.

"With the squad we've got, we're going to be very ambitious. We have the best young players in the competition.

"We beat everyone last season, why can't we go even better this season?"

The club's board admitted they'd faced a tough decision to choose Aloisi over the more experienced Milicic.

"We had the two best candidates, and that was always going to be a difficult thing," said chief executive Scott Munn.

Chairman Peter Sidwell added: "Ante was disappointed, but was understanding of it. He's accepted it and is moving forward with it."

The club also confirmed Kappa will be their new kit supplier next season, taking over from ISC, and marking Kappa's debut in the A-League.

Kappa are also expected to be supplying Central Coast Mariners' kit next season too.